Are Frozen Crab Legs Already Cooked? Everything You Need to Know

As a seafood lover, crab legs are one of my absolute favorite treats Their sweet, tender meat tucked inside a hard shell is so satisfying to crack open But before cooking up a batch of crab legs, the most common question is are frozen crab legs already cooked?

The short answer is yes most frozen crab legs sold commercially are already fully cooked. This applies to different varieties like snow crab legs king crab legs, and Dungeness crab legs. So when you buy crab legs frozen at the grocery store or fish market, they just need to be reheated or thawed before eating.

In this article, I’ll go over everything you need to know about pre-cooked frozen crab legs, including:

• Why are frozen crab legs pre-cooked?
• How to tell if they are pre-cooked
• Thawing and reheating methods
• Pro tips for cooking frozen crab legs
• Recommended recipes

Let’s get cracking!

Why Are Frozen Crab Legs Pre-Cooked?

There are a couple reasons why commercially sold frozen crab legs are pre-cooked:

• Food safety – Cooking the crab legs kills any bacteria and ensures the frozen seafood stays safe to eat Eating undercooked crab poses health risks.

• Convenience – Since the crab legs are already cooked, it takes the work out of preparation for both sellers and consumers. All you need to do is simply thaw and reheat them.

The pre-cooking process happens right after the crabs are caught, either on the fishing boats or soon after reaching the docks. The crab legs are steamed or boiled, then processed and flash frozen to maintain freshness. This locks in flavor and texture.

So you can feel confident that frozen crab legs have been fully cooked and handled properly for safety. All you need to do is thaw and heat them up before enjoying!

How to Tell If Frozen Crab Legs Are Pre-Cooked

Since most frozen crab legs are pre-cooked, how do you know for sure? Here are a few easy ways to tell:

• Read the packaging – Any frozen crab legs sold at a grocery store or seafood market in a box or bag should be labeled as “pre-cooked”, “ready to eat” or “just heat and serve”.

• Shell color – Raw crab shells have a purplish tint while cooked shells turn bright reddish-orange. The frozen legs should look cooked.

• Leg shape – Raw legs are straight while cooked legs curl and arch more. The frozen legs should have a cooked shape.

• Meat color – Raw crab meat is translucent while cooked meat is opaque white. Break a leg open and check the meat.

So if the frozen crab legs have the right labeling, shell color, leg shape and meat opacity – you can be sure they are pre-cooked! Just thaw and warm them up.

Thawing Frozen Crab Legs

Since most frozen crab legs are sold pre-cooked, thawing is faster and easier than thawing raw seafood. Here are some recommended methods:

• Refrigerator thawing – The gentlest method. Place legs in a bowl or tray, cover with plastic wrap and thaw overnight or up to 24 hours in the fridge.

• Cold water thawing – For faster thawing, seal the legs in a plastic bag and submerge in cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes. Thaws in 1-2 hours.

• Microwave thawing – Set legs in a microwave-safe dish, cover, and microwave at 30 second intervals. Check often to prevent overcooking the meat. Only takes 5-10 minutes.

For best results, be sure the crab legs are fully thawed before reheating. The meat should not feel icy cold to touch. Under thawed crab can lead to uneven cooking.

Reheating Frozen Crab Legs

Once your frozen pre-cooked crab legs are thawed, just reheating them is a cinch! Here are some fool-proof methods:

• Steaming – In a pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1-2 inches of water to a boil. Add legs, cover and steam for 5-8 minutes until hot.

• Boiling – Gently boil legs for 4-5 minutes until heated through. Don’t over boil.

• Grilling – Brush legs with oil and grill on medium high, turning occasionally for 6-8 minutes.

• Broiling – Place legs on a broiling pan, broil for 5-7 minutes a few inches from heat, flipping halfway.

• Sautéing – Heat oil in pan, sauté legs for 3-4 minutes per side until hot.

• Microwaving – Arrange legs in a microwave safe dish, cover and microwave in 1 minute increments, flipping halfway.

Check for doneness by touching the thickest part of the meat. It should feel hot to touch when fully reheated. Now just crack open, dip in melted butter and enjoy!

Pro Tips for Cooking Frozen Crab Legs

Here are some top tips for successfully cooking up frozen pre-cooked crab legs:

• Don’t overcook – Since they are pre-cooked, crab legs need minimal reheating time. Too much cooking makes the meat tough.

• Preheat properly – If baking or grilling, always preheat your oven or grill fully before adding legs.

• Use a thermometer – Check inner temperature with a meat thermometer for doneness. Target 145°F.

• Watch carefully – Stay nearby and set timers to prevent over or under cooking.

• Check for cold spots – Break open the thickest part of a leg and check the meat is fully heated.

• Keep moist – Brush with oil or broth and cover to prevent drying out.

Follow these tips and your reheated frozen crab legs will taste just-cooked fresh!

Recommended Recipes for Frozen Crab Legs

Beyond just steaming and dipping in butter, here are some of my favorite recipes for enjoying pre-cooked frozen crab legs:

• Crab legs with garlic butter – Quick and easy! Just sauté thawed legs in butter with minced garlic.

• Crab legs salad – Chilled crab legs on a bed of greens with vinaigrette makes a light meal.

• Crab fried rice – Toss chunks of reheated crab meat with rice, veggies and eggs.

• Crab cakes – Form crab meat into patties, coat in breadcrumbs and pan fry for a treat.

• Crab dip – Mix shredded crab with cream cheese, spices and green onion. Bake and serve with chips.

• Crab soup – Add reheated crab meat during the end of cooking hearty seafood soups.